Hello,

I’m considering a major upgrade of my performance setup by replacing my current soundcard with an UFX+, but I’d like to sort out some of my presumptions before spending all that money. I’m mostly improvising with electronics in surround situations, often combining with manipulating live instrument input. Currently I’m using an RME Babyface with an ADAT module for extra inputs. I use the 2out + the monitor out to distribute audio over a 4.1 speaker set in my studio and use the computer’s out for previewing material while performing. I perform with Ableton Live and Max  and use Rogue Amoeba’s (RA) Loopback for routing audio between Live and Max. But more and more often I encounter situations where I need more - physical - outputs. So instead of another ADAT module, I believe it is time to upgrade decently. The UFX+ seems to offer a lot of interesting aspects, of which I would like to sort out if my situation will benefit:
A major thing would be to also transfer all audio routing to the card. I’m using TotalMix, but with the babyface it doesn’t offer me enough channels. I need 16 channels from Max to Live, depending on the setup 4 to 12 channels from Live to Max and 4 up to 8 physical out, and a monitor channel which I can feed from both Max and Live. Currently RA-Loopback does this internally in the computer, taxing the CPU. Do I understand correctly that TotalMix processes loopback on its internal dsp, and sending the audio back on another channel, and that this will save me CPU?
I would switch the card to a Thunderbolt port, as that frees at least one USB, possibly solving some connection troubles (sometimes loosing controller-connections through a hub on my laptop). I don’t expect problems for a routing such as described above, but Thunderbolt seems the choice above USB anyway. True?
I record my sessions and performances, but need to add quite some tracks to have decent material to work on afterwards, which results in mostly capturing output with everything together and not enough mixing options. I would replace DURec for that, capturing both the unaltered livestream of instruments and the output of my electronic system separately, possibly at different stages, so it can be used afterwards. Again, without having to tax my computer with it, or risking to turn off recording while performing (did happen). Does DURec is suited for this?
Thanks,

Vincent